AS Monaco surrendered a late lead on 3 June at Salle Gaston Médecin, falling 98-89 to Nanterre in Game 2 of the best-of-five Betclic Elite semi-finals, allowing Nanterre to level the series at 1-1.
After an impressive end to Game 1 with an unbelievable fourth quarter performance, Monaco appeared to be on track to take control of the series. The team held the lead at the end of each quarter before a critical fourth-quarter collapse allowed Nanterre to capitalize and claim victory.
Despite a slow start, the Roca Team managed to establish an early lead in the first quarter. However, rebounding concerns emerged, once again, as Nanterre was consistently gifted second and even third-chance opportunities to convert – an issue we saw in the quarterfinals against Bourg-en-Bresse. Monaco struggled to control the glass, managing only one offensive rebound in the first quarter, while Nanterre dominated this battle with a 12-6 rebounding advantage.
Monaco’s recurring issues with inconsistent ball movement prevented them from building a comfortable lead that their shooting efficiency in the first half would suggest. Nanterre’s struggles from the field helped Monaco maintain control as the Roca Team headed into halftime with a 53-41 lead.
Following the break, similar issues continued to appear. Sloppy possessions and mistakes allowed Nanterre to cut the deficit slowly and build momentum, reducing it to just five points midway through the third quarter. Monaco appeared to stabilize as Matthew Strazel landed a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send them into the fourth quarter leading 71-62.
The fourth quarter, however, is where the disaster truly hit. Nanterre came out with a noticeably greater intensity, cutting the lead to a single possession in the opening minute. As Monaco’s shooting efficiency began to weaken, their inability to secure defensive rebounds allowed Nanterre to reduce their lead rather quickly.
With just over two minutes remaining, Nanterre managed to tie the game at 87-87. Monaco’s evident struggles throughout the night ultimately caught up to them in the final minutes of the game. With 1:20 left on the clock, Nanterre took a three-point lead and never looked back, as they secured this Game 2 victory.
This loss came despite strong individual performances from Elie Okobo, leading the team with 23 points, and Yoan Makoundou, who scored 20 points while going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, an impressive performance for the Monaco big. Although Monaco’s shooting efficiency was above Nanterre’s overall, they were unable to overcome the persistent faults.
After leading for the majority of the game, Monaco was left to face a difficult loss as Nanterre defeated them 98-89. The Roca Team will now travel to Nanterre for Game 3 this weekend as they look to reclaim the advantage in the series.
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Photo credit: AS Monaco Basket